1. Nobody
sits down and plans to ruin their life (alcoholic, drug addict, bankrupt,
destroy their marriage, etc.) - but it happens, far too often. It happens
because of choices we make, although that is not the result anyone would
willingly choose.

2. Many
life-defining choices are made early in life: Faith, education, career,
marriage, faith, priorities of life. Sometimes wrong choices can snowball, with
disastrous consequences. What goes wrong? How can you avoid such
mistakes?

3. God's plan
for success from your youth onward, Eccl. 11:9-12:1.

4. Once in a
while Facebook has something notable to share: 10 Ways to Ruin Your Life in
Your 20s by Jonathan Pokluda, posted by
Sean Lowe.

a. "Sin
truly does rob us of life, fooling us into thinking we are living life to the
“fullest.” Sin, any sin, turns family into an obligation, turns our
relationships into burdensome commitments, and turns friendships into strategic
conversations and empty laughter. Sin turns your career into work, turns
memories into blurry visions, and turns the beautiful into the ordinary"
("Getting Away with It",
Jonathan Pokluda).

b. You are
in the process of becoming what you will be one day: Great spouse, parent,
career, faith, reputation, etc.; or the opposite.
-The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.
(Proverbs 14:15, ESV)

2) Live outside your means.Eccl. 2:10; 5:10-12

a. When you
spend more than you can afford, you still have to pay for it...plus interest.

b. "Good
times" now may mean "bad times" of debt later. Hab.
2:6-7
-The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
(Proverbs 22:7, ESV)

a. You
become what you hang around with ("You are the average of the 5 people you spend
the most time with", Pokluda).

b. Hang
around with faithless, idiots, addicts or criminals and that is what you will
become; vice versa.
-Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
(Proverbs 13:20, ESV)

5) Carelessly give your heart away.Prov. 20:25; Eccl. 5:5; Col.
3:16

a. Only
someone totally committed to protecting your heart will not break it or sin
against it. Only give it away once, at your marriage,
Matt. 19:4-6.

b. Be
careful with what entertains your heart, fills your heart, what it
seeks, who and what it loves. (Warning: Premarital
sex and porn breaks hearts!)
-Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
(Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

6) Tolerate evil.
Eph. 5:5-7, 11; 1 Pet. 4:3-4

a. When it
comes to setting standards, "it's not what you preach, it's what you tolerate"
that counts (Extreme Ownership,Jocko Willink
and Leif Babin).

b. Evil
actively seeks to destroy you and others; Oppose it.

c. God does
not tolerate sin; His gave His Son to die because of it.
-To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and
perverse speech.
(Proverbs 8:13, ESV)

7) Make secondary things ultimate and ultimate things secondary.
Matt. 6:33; Eccl. 12:13
a. If a stranger observed how you spend your time and resources, what would
they say your life is about? Making money? Looking good? Playing video games?
Fantasy football? Worshiping God or worshiping the 60-inch HD TV?

b. Balance
and godly priorities, Prov. 25:16; Lk. 10:42.

-Keep
falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me
only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say,
‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of
my God.
(Proverbs 30:8-9, ESV)

8) Believe that this life is all about you.Mk. 10:43-44; Lk. 9:23; Gal.
2:20 (Rom. 12:3)
a. 7 billion people; All important to God. If you want to make a difference
in this world and in the lives of others, then live for God.

-Pride goes
before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs
16:18, ESV)